Die Zauberflöte

“Matthew Curran, as Sarastro, demonstrated that exactly at the point where his voice reached a level which seemed to be the bottom of his range, he was able to get still lower. His earnest portrayal of an apparent tyrant, unmasked as a high priest of wisdom, truth, and virtue, had a winning simplicity.” -Elaine Strauss, U.S. 1

“Sarastro, played by Matthew Curran, was suave and debonair (who would keep this character hidden away in a temple?).” -Nancy Plum, Town Topics

Roméo et Juliette

Le Nozze di Figaro

“Matthew Curran (Figaro) and Jessica Milanese (Susannah) worked so well as a team with their interactive acting that I wonder if they’ve done this role pairing together before. In particular these two were champions of expressing each turn of the plot with their acting as well as vocally. One of the reasons their acting was so apparent is because you didn’t have to strain to understand their words, and they didn’t make your gut tense up when they went for the high notes. They made it appear effortless so the audience could just get lost in the plot and action.” -Conrad Askland, conradaskland.com,

Cosi Fan Tutte

“But the glue that holds the story together is Don Alfonso, and Matthew Curran wins our hearts, despite the fact that Don Alfonso clearly is cunning, sly and a cheat. You may remember Curran from last season’s Falstaff. He comes from Princeton and has a voice that is confident and comes with a twinkle.” -Stuart Duncan, Time Off

“Matthew Curran was a masterful Alfonso. His resonant bass voice and composed manner helped identify him as capable of creating large-scale mischief. He showed his vocal nimbleness in his patter duet with Despina in Act Two. Curran’s ensemble work at one point extended to the instrumentalists; pounding his staff on the stage, the sound was a percussive signal for the orchestra to enter.” -Elaine Strauss, U.S. 1

Le Nozze di Figaro – Bartolo

La Calisto – Giove

“Matthew Curran’s dark basso served him well as Giove. The composer’s music for Jove was a forerunner of the great bass arias of Mozart and Verdi to come. Curran looked and sang like a god.” -Nino Pantano, Special to Brooklyn Daily Eagle

“Matthew Curran is a most majestic Jupiter” -Harry Rolnick, ConcertoNet.com

Brahms German Requiem

“Yet the performance improved when Curran started singing in the third section (“Lord, make me to know mine end”). Whether feeling inspired or challenged by his bold delivery, the choir suddenly found a strength that had been lacking. Unfortunately, it lasted only through the end of Curran’s solo. Elegantly and powerfully, the bass stole the spotlight. When he sang “Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in thee,” the audience surely felt the helplessness in that cry. Curran’s return in the penultimate movement (“For we have no permanent city, but we seek one to come”) once again underscored his power to draw more musicality from the whole ensemble.” -Melson Varsovia, MercuryNews.com